When applying for scholarships, you know that you’re going to be up against some stiff competition. How can you ensure that your application essay is the one that’s going to grab everyone’s attention? Here’s how to write an essay that will wow the judges and get you that scholarship.
Always Plan In Advance
It’s so tempting to leave the essay to the last minute, but that’s the last thing you want to do. When you do that, the quality of your essay will go down and so you won’t be likely to get the scholarship. Instead, make a calendar and add in all the different deadlines that you’re working towards, so you can see at a glance how much time you have.
Ensure that you get started way before the deadline, too. You could leave it till a day or two before, but when you have more time you have the luxury of working on your essay until you’re sure it’s perfect.
Follow The Instructions
Doesn’t everyone do this? It sounds obvious, but you would be amazed at how many applicants don’t follow the instructions properly. “If the instructions aren’t followed, that application will be rejected right away, and all your hard work will be for nothing,” says Addie Smith, a marketing writer at Big Assignments review and Top essay writing services. “You’ve got to be sure you’re following that prompt correctly to get noticed.”
It’s easier than you’d think to make mistakes at this stage if you haven’t read the instructions correctly. Take your time and really make sure you understand what the essay prompt is asking of you. When you do this, you should be less likely to make a mistake.
Don’t Be Afraid To Use The Same Essay
As you’re applying for multiple scholarships, you’ll see that there are multiple different scholarships that are using the same essay prompt. They’ll often be using the ones from the Common App, such as ‘Discuss a time when you had to overcome an obstacle.2
If you find that the scholarships you’re applying to are using the same prompt, you can use the same essay for them. Remember, they won’t be comparing them, and if they’re using the same prompt you can use the same answer. Make sure you’re still reading the prompt carefully, as the essay may need some tweaking to fit their needs.
Know Your Audience
When writing any scholarship essay, you’ve got to know who your audience is. Every organization that’s giving a scholarship will have different outlooks and ideal candidates. You need to know who they are, and how you fit into that idea of the perfect scholarship student for them.
As such, you’ll want to tailor your essay to suit their ideals. Don’t lose your own voice as you write though, as you don’t want to get lost in who you should be to them. Instead, you’re showing them why you already are the best candidate.
Pick A Topic That You Care About
Writing a scholarship essay isn’t the same as writing one for school. As you’re picking the scholarships you’re applying for, you can pick topics that really speak to you. Make sure you’re going for the scholarships that ask for essays on topics that really interest you. If you’re writing from the heart, then your reader is going to be interested, too.
When you do this, your personality will shine through in your writing. It’s a good way to get ahead and really show the judges who you are.
Create A Strong Outline
When writing your essay, you’ll want an outline that creates structure. “When an essay is well structured, it’s easier to follow,” says business writer Carl Harrington, from Via Writing and Academ Advisor. “That will ensure the reader stays interested.” Write down all your main points in a plan, and then work out how they will flow from one to the other. In the end, you should be able to come to a logical conclusion.
These tips will help you write a strong scholarship essay, that will grab the notice of the judges and get you that scholarship. Plan in advance and use these tips to help you write the best possible essay.
Sara Sparrow is a technical writer and project coordinator at Top Canadian Writers and Simple Grad. She attends tech and marketing conferences and contributes articles online to blogs such as Best essay writing services.